Surfing at Mount Maunganui: Main Beach, the Blowhole and Beginner Tips

Overview

Mount Maunganui's Main Beach is the hub of beach life in the Bay of Plenty. You'll find white sand, waterfront cafés and food trucks, and Mauao rising at the northern end. Bay of Plenty Tourism compares it to Waikīkī or Bondi.

The waves come from a peaky beach break. Warmer water and lots of surf schools make it one of the North Island's most popular places to learn.

Where to surf on Main Beach

• The middle of the beach: Usually the best bet for learners, and for finding a wave away from the crowd.
• The northern end, towards Mauao and the surf club: Picks up more swell, so the waves are often steeper, bigger and more challenging.
• The Blowhole: A right-hand sandbank at the southern end, next to Moturiki (Leisure Island). It can suit longboards and shortboards, but it's always crowded.

Watch the Leisure Island rip. A constant rip runs along Moturiki. Locals use it to get out the back, but it can take a beginner into conditions they're not ready for.

Best season and tides

• Bay of Plenty Tourism says the region's best swell season is December to May, when tropical lows send swell south. The water is at its warmest then, around 20–23 °C.
• Main Beach works best on a mid to low tide. At high tide, the bay "fills up like a swimming pool".
• It's sheltered from south-east winds.
• Summer (December to February) is peak season, when both the beach and the waves are packed.

Lessons and board hire

Hibiscus Surf School teaches group and private lessons and runs kids' programmes. It also hires out surfboards and wetsuits if you just want the gear. Bay of Plenty Tourism also lists South Pacific Surf School, Mount Surf School and Average Joes surf coaching.

Smaller waves nearby

If Main Beach is too big or too busy, try:

• "The coast" (Tay Street and Omanu), 5 minutes along. It has a flatter profile that works at most tides.
• Pāpāmoa, usually a foot or two smaller than the Mount because Motiti Island shelters it.

Facilities

You can park along the beachfront. There are showers and water bottle filling stations on Marine Parade (opposite Commons Avenue) and in front of the surf lifesaving club.

Safety

• Lifeguards patrol in summer. Check Safeswim for patrol times, and keep boards out of the flagged swimming area.
• Remember the 3Rs if you're caught in a rip: Relax and float, Raise your hand, Ride the rip.

Nearby

Walk around the base of Mauao after a surf. See our Mauao Summit Walk guide for the current track status, and our Tauranga city guide for more.